Aftermath of War
by TheAngelofFate
Summary: Set a few weeks after Civial War, Tony finds himself unable to cope with all the bad things life was throwing at him lately, he's just so broken. And since he refuses to talk to a professional, Rhodey suggests he go find and vent to Bruce. Because Bruce understands, because Bruce has always understood Tony and his emotions and mostly because Bruce has never given up on Tony.


I decided to write this drabble because I just watched Civil War and I have a lot of Tony feels on my mind and therefore I want to write Tony getting some comfort for a change.

(Note, this is my first time writing for Tony, I was always afraid I'd make him OOC and not as funny as he is in canon. Forgive me if I do.)

Also Tony and Bruce's friendship is 100% platonic.

* * *

Life was a dick. It was a overall douchebag to lots of people, some who clearly didn't deserve it like Nat, or Wanda or Bruce. But lately it seemed that life itself particularly hated Tony the most, no matter what he did, no matter how many people he has helped and cared about or saved, it doesn't seem to do any good.

Nope, not a thing.

Yeah, that was it, life was just a gigantic, ultra fucking dick. And he hated it, he absolutely did with every fiber of his being, he hated that when he was the slightest bit happy it was ripped away from him.

Pepper dumped him, the Avengers were all locked up, Black Widow was missing and Cap has disappeared with Barnes somewhere.

If he wanted too, if he truly _wanted_ too, Tony could locate him and Barnes in a heart beat, but he didn't because honestly at this moment Tony didn't care where the hell they were. True, Steve apologized about with-holding the information of the cause of his parents deaths. But that still didn't make him feel any less betrayed.

Steve had called Howard his friend, called him a good man and had tried so hard to connect with Tony through the memories he had of a young Howard Stark and yet he never said a word to Tony about what really happened to his parents.

That was something Tony was having a hard time getting past.

"Hey, Tones." A voice called out to him. He turned and saw Rhodey behind him wearing the new War Machine armor Tony had built for him to keep him walking.

"Hey pal. How you feeling?"

Rhodey shrugged. "I'm dealing the best way I know how." He let out a little chuckle before adding, "Knowing that I can still fight and protect people, even with my... condition. It's... reassuring, you know. I have you to thank for that." Rhodey said as he gestured to his legs.

"Aw, darling. You're making me blush." Tony said with a grin, putting his hand to his forehead and tilting his head back for dramatic affect.

Rhodey laughed and Tony laughed too. It was a nice moment, and they seemed to be having a lot of these moments lately. But then that moment ended when Rhodey's phone rang. "I gotta go, duty calls." His friend said going into solider mode as he called it.

"I'll just be here." Tony replied as he went back to tinkering with a newer version of U he was working on.

A hand fell on his shoulder, starling him just a little. "You know, if you just talk to Pepper—"

"I appreciate the concern, bud. But you know she wants nothing to do with me." Tony said his voice holding a bitter tone. He understood Pepper's choice to break up with him. He did, truly he did. But even though he understood he still couldn't stop no matter how much Pepper leaving broke him. And talking to her would only make things worse. "I'm not touching that can of worms."

"If you two don't talk it'll never get better."

"C'mon, Rhodes." Tony said his voice almost begging. He didn't want to talk about this anymore, talking about Pepper, it hurt. It hurt him so much because he was still crazy for her and it hurt him that much more because she obviously wasn't crazy for him, at least not anymore. " _Stop_ , please."

Rhodey sighed in defeat but wasn't done talking. "I still don't like that you're here all by yourself."

"You have never been so wrong, I have Vision here with me."

"He's been with Wanda most of these past few weeks, so you're mostly alone. You know how you get when you are alone, Tony."

For once, Tony had no witty quip to retort.

"What about Banner? You two really hit it off the last time he was here. He was like you're polar opposite. What was it you called him?"

Tony found himself laughing at his nickname he had gave the two of them. "Science Bros. He was my science bro. My big guy, my buddy. No offense."

Rhodey shook his head. "No, no, none taken. I'm actually glad you found someone other then me to hang out with. Someone that understands you and was on a level only you can understand." Tony turned around and gave his friend a skeptical look to which Rhodey defends, "Honest. Pepper and I took comfort in the fact that when we weren't there to keep you company. Bruce, well... He was, and he seemed to do so without complaint."

Tony smiled as he silently agreed with Rhodey that no matter how loud he played his music or how many times he rambled on and on about whatever was on his mind, Bruce would listen with a smile and even quip in his own little ideas and comments. The big guy wore his heart on his sleeve if he truly enjoyed Tony's company. A normal person would have just left, but not Bruce. He —just like Rhodey— had stayed.

"So? What's the problem? Find him and give him a call."

"The Big Green left on his own. Just up and went bye bye. If Nat and I weren't enough to get him to stay. Then there no way he's coming back just because I call him."

"You know that's not why he left, Tony. He left to keep everyone safe. Including Natasha, us and you. You can't blame him for that." Rhodey's voice was steady and reassuring like it always was. "And honestly you need to talk to _someone_ about what happened between you and Cap. You haven't told me or anyone what went down. If not me or a psychiatrist then at least vent everything out on Bruce. You've done it before."

Tony laughed bitterly then. The bitterness wasn't directed at Bruce though, but at the Captain. "He fell asleep the last time I poured my heart out, which was really rude if you ask me. Saying he doesn't have the temperament."

"Look, Tony just— just think about it, okay? Please, man. I'd sleep a lot better at night knowing my friend was okay." Rhodey paused to look at his phone again as it dinged for the second time. "I gotta go. See ya, Tones."

Tony turned around and waved his hand. "Bye, Rhodes."

* * *

Finding Bruce wasn't difficult. What Nat nor any of the government knew about was that he had figured out where Bruce was a couple of days after he went off the grid. He said nothing for Banner's sake and played dumb about his friends whereabouts, and he hide that from everyone else, so they wouldn't be suspicious of him.

And the only thing he had to do was contact him. But what the hell was he suppose to say? And would Bruce even comply and come visit?

"Friday, question."

 _"I will give my best at answering, sir."_ The female A.I said in a tone that almost reminded him of Jarvis.

"What sounds like a better option to you. Calling Dr. Banner or going for a visit in person?"

 _"Hmm, if I had to choose, calling Dr. Banner ahead of time, would be the less dangerous option. But then again you aren't the type of person who would take a safe route."_

Tony smiled and proceeded to hop into his private jet that just arrived. "You know me too well, dear."

 _"Again, sir. I think you have me confused with someone else."_ Tony knew her comment wasn't meant to hurt him, but regardless it still did, he then muted her and ordered the pilot to take off.

In his defense Tony did call Bruce's cell phone that was located in the desert _of all places_ before he landed, but there had been no answer. Honestly, Tony was surprised Bruce still had a cell phone.

Twenty minutes later he stepped out of the jet and knocked on the door, however Tony was greet with a very shocked and a very scruffy Bruce Banner. Seeing his friend immediately lifted Tony's spirits. "Hey, big guy. How's it hanging? How are things in this dry and dusty place? Horrible, I bet." He said with a grin and happily walked inside while Bruce stared at him, gaping at him like a fish.

"Man, this place is small. How can you live like this, bud? _Urgh_ , I can barely move it's so cramped."

That actually got a chuckle out of Bruce which made Tony smile even more. "I manage just fine, actually. Though it's a good thing I'm not claustrophobic. It wouldn't bode well for the Other Guy."

"Well, look at the bright side, the most damage he could do is severely crush a tumbleweed."

Bruce smiled and Tony returned it. "You're a bad host, you know that? I come to visit you in you're _luxurious_ Shack after months of not seeing you and you don't even offer me anything to drink." Tony placed a hand over his heart as if he was wounded and made a pained fake expression to which Banner chuckled more.

"Of course, how rude of me." Bruce replied sarcastically as he walked a few steps into the kitchen and got each of them a small glass and poured each other some warm tea. "I assume there's a reason you came to see me?" His friend asked as he sat down in a wicker chair.

"You wound me, big guy. You wound me deep. I'll have you know that SHEILD nor anyone else knows your location other then me."

"Then why are you here?"

"I wanted to see my buddy." Tony spoke matter-of-factly as he took a sip of his tea.

Then for a few minutes there was nothing but a calm, comfortable silence. Which Tony enjoyed more then he would ever admit.

"How are you, Tony?"

 _Well, so much for that._ He thought as he let out a soft sigh. "That's... complicated to explain."

Bruce looked immediately worried. "Is Pepper okay?"

Tony nodded. "Oh yeah, Pepper's great. She's being the big boss of Stark Industries and they all love her." He inhaled a deep, long breathe before continuing. "But I haven't really seen her a lot lately."

"Why's that?"

He cleared the large lump in his throat he had no idea he was there. "She— sort of... Broke up with me." He watched as Bruce's looked of confusion faded and was replaced with shock and a tinge of sadness. "I understand why though. I tried to start over with her, blew all my suits up to prove it too her, but in the end, what I do... Helping people, wanting to make a difference—" A lump grew in his throat that he couldn't swallow down as he kept going. "I can't stop that."

"Is that why your here, Tony?" Bruce asked in a soft, comforting tone.

Letting out a cough, he ran a hand through his hair. "I wanted someone to talk too."

Reaching a crossed the small table Bruce placed a hand on Tony's shoulder in the same reassuring manner that Rhodey always does. "I'm all ears."

And Tony told him. He told him about what happened after they defeat Ultron in Sokovia. He told him about his break up with Pepper shortly after that. He explained in great detail about Charles Spencer respectively and how his mother blamed him for his death. Tony told Bruce about the Sokovia Accords and their plan to keep the Avengers in check and in use when only they needed them, said how Cap was against it and refused to back down when the government wanted to take his dangerous metal armed friend into custody. About how Zemo had played them all into thinking he wanted a Super Solider army but in reality he just killed them all and pitted them against each other in an act of revenge.

"The guy was smart. Like _really_ smart. He played us all like a fiddle and I fell for it." Tony said as he placed his empty cup on the table for a refill.

"I'm glad Rhodey is going to be okay."

Tony nodded yet again. "Oh yeah, he's doing good. He's a stubborn ass, you know? Always has been. I'm sure if I hadn't built those legs for him he would have found his own way to walk again."

"Hm, our friends... The ones that Cap broke out of prison, was Natasha one of them?" Bruce asked hopefully, wanting to make sure Nat was alright.

Tony let out a puff of air. "Honestly, buddy? I have no idea, when she let Cap get away the last thing I told her before she left was that the police were coming for her."

"What did she say?"

"Her exact words were: 'I'm not the one who needs to watch their back.' So yeah you're girlfriend threatened me, which is very rude by the way."

Bruce let a fond smile grace his lips. That sounded like his Natasha. "You still haven't told me what made you, Steve and Bucky started fighting."

In an instant all the color drained from Tony's face and his whole demeanor changed. So much so that Bruce actually got up and knelt beside his friend fearing he was going to have another anxiety attack again. "Tony?" He said urgently, concern laced within his voice as he let his hands hover over the engineer's shoulders.

Tony swallowed thickly. "I... I was hoping I could skip over that question. It's— um, it's still hard for me to..."

"Take you're time."

"I mean, I haven't even told Rhodey. Which says a lot considering... So um— Zemo pulled a damn ninja move and appeared out of no where all nice and safe behind a door that not even I could blast through. He showed us a type of a high way..." Tony closed his eyes and blinked. "I knew that high way from— reports of my parents car accident when I was a teenager still. But thing was I only saw pictures in the news paper, this was the video and... Barnes was there. Bruce, he was there that night."

Bruce's heart began to sink, he felt sick, physically ill because he knew what Tony was about to say next and he wished he didn't wished it wasn't so easy for him to figure out. "Tony, if it's too hard—"

But Tony didn't stop, he couldn't stop now that he was already speaking and letting everything that he has kept bottled up for the past few weeks, months, years of his life out in the open. "He caused their accident... Bruce, he killed me parents. He punched my dad to death and— my mom, _god_ my mom... He— He just..." Tony's voice broke as his face contorted with pain as tears fell from his eyes, normally he would try to hide his tears and his pain in general but not this time, he was just too tired to care. "He killed my mom, big guy. "

 _Oh Tony..._ Bruce thought sadly, as he pulled his friend into a tight hug. It was immediate, because he knew that this was exactly what Tony needed, physical contact was something that the engineer had always craved. It's true that before he met Tony. Bruce really didn't like physical contact, it scared him knowing the he could Hulk-out at any moment because back then he couldn't control it, but after he did met the Avengers and more specificity Tony and lived with him and Pepper for those long months as an Avenger. He grew to enjoy the touchy feeling-ness that was Tony Stark, grew to be very fond of the hugger that Tony was.

Why? Because Tony was his friend, he was the only person who wasn't afraid of him or the Other Guy. That actually welcomed Hulk's company and was always happy to see them both regardless of who was controlling who at the time. He was the only one who told Bruce that he nor the Hulk weren't monsters, that they were heroes and to screw what everyone else thought of them. No, scratch that, Tony was his _best_ friend, his brother more then anything else. And because of that, it hurt him so much to see him like this.

"The only woman who never stopped loving me no matter how much of a shit son I was. She loved me so much and I... And— he just...killed her." Tony rambled brokenly as he clung to Bruce like he was his only life line to keep him from drowning in his pain and guilt. "And the worst of it is that Cap kept it from me. He knew what Barnes did to my parents, he called my father his friend and yet he didn't _fucking_ tell me how they really died. Who the hell does that!?" Tony cried out as his nails dug into Bruce's shirt.

"I'm so sorry, Tony. I wish I had been there." Bruce whispered as he continued to hug the man to his chest. For the first time he actually had to _force_ down his anger that was directed towards the Captain. But it was hard, for he could hear the Other Guy's voice in his head; _Shield Man hurt Metal Man, made him cry! Hulk like Metal Man, Metal Man like Hulk. Hulk will smash Shield man!_

So he had to calm Hulk with assuring words of his own. _Now's not the time to rage out, I'm not happy about this either. But we can't risk others safety just so we can beat Cap up._ "Maybe if I was there with you I could have done something." He couldn't describe how guilty he felt, while he was here in the desert isolating himself because the world no longer trusted him, Tony was out there dealing with everything on his own. And by the condition he was in, Bruce guessed that his friend couldn't do it any longer.

"Cap... He apologized, but I... How am I suppose to live with this? How am I suppose to get past everything that's happened?" Tony asked at a complete loss, for the first time in his life he truly didn't know the answer.

And the scientist didn't like that, not one bit. He tightened his hold on Tony and told him what exactly what he was thinking. "You don't do it alone, you don't isolate yourself and think that the pain will go away if you force it." He took a deep breathe before continuing. "You don't have to do this on you're own anymore, Tony. I won't let you. I'm so sorry, I thought by leaving I was making things better for the world, for you and everyone else. But I can see that all it's done is make you withdrawal from others."

Tony sniffed but didn't relinquish the hug, he realized now how muched he really needed it. "I didn't come here to make you feel guilty, buddy. I just needed to vent."

"Yes, well, you did. But don't worry, Tony. You can vent and talk as much as you like when we get back to New York." Bruce said with a smile as he felt Tony stiffen with confusion.

"If you're happy here, Bruce. You don't have to come with me. I'm fine honest." The engineer said hoarsely.

"Tony, you are many things, but 'fine' is not one of them. And it's okay, there is nothing for me here and it's obvious you need me around if Rhodey is concerned about you being by yourself that he wants _me_ there."

Tony wiped at his eyes. "I don't want to be a burden on you or Big Green." As he finally let go of Bruce, stood up and walked outside, Banner following in toe.

"You've never been a burden to anyone, Tony. Especially to me." Bruce said honestly as he entered the jet with his friend and sat down as the door closed. Tony laughed and for once it was genuine, it was happy and it reached his eyes. He wiped away the dirt and dried tears on his cheeks and smiled. "I've _missed_ you, my awesome science bro."

Bruce returned Tony's smiled with a pat to his shoulder. "I missed you too, Tones." He said with a grin and then added "Is my room still intact?"

The engineer nodded happily. "It hasn't changed." The tone of his voice held fondness and a deeper meaning, unspoken words; _You haven't changed._ "Thanks for coming back."

"Anytime."

They flew back to New York and Tony reintroduced Bruce to Friday, reintroduced him to DUM-E and U 2.0, and proudly showed him the lab they had once shared.

And as Tony ranted on and on about whatever it was he was feeling. About Pepper leaving him, about Steve's betrayal, about never reconciling with his father, or never telling his mother that he loved her, while he prattled on about the bad as well as the good and Bruce listened intently with comforting smiles, pats on the shoulder and occasional one armed hugs, Tony _finally_ felt that after so long, he was actually going to be okay, now that his science bro was beside him again he felt that he could heal his damaged soul.

And Bruce, well... Bruce was going to make sure nothing, not even their own comrades would never hurt his friend, buddy, brother ever again. And unbeknownst to Tony, the Other Guy in the back of his mind proudly agreed.

* * *

The whole Civil War movie had me feeling so many Tony feels. I went in supporting Tony and I still support him at the end. Even more so now then I did before. Because damn, poor Tony.

I wanted to give Tony some comfort and I decided to make Bruce be that comforting presence. Because they are science bros and best friends.

While I thought his interaction with Rhodey was adorable, I don't think that Tony would have told anyone what happened between him and Steve. Except for Bruce that is, because Bruce understands how horrible life can be and therefore understands Tony and considers him his closest friend.

Reviews are much appreciated. I like to hear you're guys thoughts on my stories with Reviews.

Please if you can, leave your thoughts of this Drabble and I'll see you all soon.


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